Kevin Durant was back where his NBA career began more than a decade ago Friday night.
"When I woke up from my pregame nap I was nervous," Durant said. "I never felt that way coming into a game, especially a preseason game, but knowing this whole thing was set up for that moment I guess it was a crazy feeling to come out and feel that much love."
Durant was back in Seattle along with his Golden State Warriors for a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings for the first NBA game in the city since the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 season. It was an opportunity for the Seattle basketball community to gather once more before KeyArena becomes a construction site later this fall as part of a $700 million renovation that is expected to land the city an expansion NHL team, and has raised hopes of the NBA and the Sonics returning in the future.
The Warriors beat the Kings 122-96, and for three hours Seattle said hello to the NBA once more while saying goodbye to a building in which the Sonics hung their only championship banner.
All the focus was on Durant is one of two players remaining in the league, along with Jeff Green, who played for the Sonics in Seattle. When he was introduced as the last member of the starting lineup for Golden State, Durant pulled off his warmup revealing a Shawn Kemp SuperSonics jersey from the 1996 season, the last time Seattle made the NBA Finals. The crowd erupted.
Every major Seattle basketball luminary in attendance was honored, among them Gary Payton, Slick Watts and Jamal Crawford. Jack Sikma, Lenny Wilkens and Fred Brown carried out the 1979 NBA championship trophy during one timeout. And Hall of Famer Bill Russell, a former Sonics coach, sat at midcourt watching over it all.
Etc.
• Rookie guard Lonnie Walker IV of the Spurs had surgery to repair a torn right meniscus.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
